Trump prioritises expanding IVF access after fertility clinic bombing

India Today

22-05-2025

A bomb blast took place at a fertility clinic in California, US, that has now drawn national attention to women's reproductive health.Days after a bombing, a White House official confirmed that the Trump administration is reviewing a series of recommendations to expand access to in vitro fertilisation (IVF), a common and costly fertility treatment.The recommendations, prepared over the past 90 days by the White House Domestic Policy Council, were submitted to President Donald Trump this week.advertisement
While details of the report have not yet been made public, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement that IVF access is a "key priority" for the administration."This is a key priority for President Trump, and the Domestic Policy Council has completed its recommendations," Desai told The Associated Press.The timing of the announcement has added weight to an already growing conversation about reproductive technology, especially in the wake of the explosion at the fertility centre in California's Palm Springs.While law enforcement officers have labeled the attack an "act of terrorism," allegedly motivated by the suspect's anti-natalist beliefs, a philosocphical view that procreation is morally wrong.While this incident has worried doctors who help people have babies through IVF, it has also made more people in the US pay attention to the rules around IVF.advertisementThis is especially important now because some US states have strict new laws that treat embryos (fertilised eggs) like living people.These laws could make it harder for IVF clinics to freeze or dispose of unused embryos, which is a normal part of the IVF process.Dr. Brian Levine, a New York-based reproductive endocrinologist, said the White House's attention is unprecedented."For the first time in my career, IVF is a priority at the highest levels of the government. It signals to patients that finally our advocacy is being heard. Both sides of the aisle are recognizing the problem we have in this country with access to IVF care," he said.According to the US health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 300,000 assisted reproductive technology cycles were performed in the US in 2021 alone.Yet IVF remains financially inaccessible for many.Each cycle can cost between $12,000 and $25,000, and multiple cycles are often necessary. Insurance coverage varies widely by state and plan, leaving many families to bear the burden.A PUSH FOR IVF ACCESSIn February 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled "Expanding Access to In Vitro Fertilization," directing government agencies to identify strategies to "protect and expand access to fertility treatment," with an emphasis on lowering out-of-pocket and insurance costs for patients.advertisementThe order also calls for agencies to assess how IVF access can be improved for active-duty military members, veterans, and federal employees, a move supported by fertility specialists and advocacy groups.Trump said during his election campaign that he wants IVF treatment to be available to everyone, maybe even for free.This comes after a major court decision in 2022, during Trump's presidency, that removed the national right to abortion in the US. After that, many states led by his party, the Republicans, made strict laws that could also affect IVF.Some of these laws say life begins as soon as an egg is fertilised, which makes it harder for fertility clinics to safely store or handle embryos.Even though Trump is trying to sound supportive of IVF, many Republican-led states are still pushing for laws that could make IVF more difficult, according to a report by the Associated Press.In some places, new rules give embryos the same legal rights as people, which means destroying unused embryos could be seen as a crime.This puts both doctors and patients in a difficult position. Reproductive rights groups are not convinced by Trump's recent statements.advertisementAs everyone waits to hear the government's official plan for IVF, both doctors and patients are hoping the promises will lead to real help that's easy to access.